What my cousin Erin shared with me...

PHENOMENAL WOMANby Maya Angelou

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing of my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them,
They say they still can't see.
I say
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
The palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

from And Still I Rise by Maya Angelou
copyright © 1978 by Maya Angelou.

Psalm 46

I love this verse! It reminds me that God is bigger than everything I have encountered and will encounter in this life...


<sup>Today in the Word October 21, 2011


1</sup> "God is our refuge and strength, 
   an ever-present help in trouble. 
² Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way 
   and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 
³ though its waters roar and foam 
   and the mountains quake with their surging.


¹⁰ He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; 
   I will be exalted among the nations, 
   I will be exalted in the earth.”


Are you distressed by the world’s mess or feel like mountains are lurking in your life? Where do you find refuge and help in the midst of chaos? Most people rely on themselves, money, possessions, or prestige for security—but these provide a false sense of protection from vulnerability. Only our sovereign and good Creator and Redeemer is a trustworthy protector and provider. Repent of ways you turn to false security and place your hope in God alone.

October 25, 2011

There are 3 things that Tatay has left behind for all of us to remember -
I call them the 3 H's: HONOR, HONESTY and HUMOR.
For those who really knew my grandfather, the first 2 H's were often associated with his character. The last one, humor, was somewhat less visible in his personality and yet, he did pass it on to several of his offspring. In light of his passing, I felt the impulse to say a prayer and to share it with those who attended his burial at the Elysium Gardens on October 25, 2011.
I now share it with you on this blog...

"Two days ago, House Bill 834 was approved to benefit the centenarians. But it did not come any sooner. If it did, Tatay would have enjoyed 100 grand and 50% senior discounts. Today, nonetheless, Tatay is enjoying something greater, richer, much grander and better. He is, we pray, in the presence of his Maker and smiling upon us - upon his 8 children: Tita Myrna, Tito Donnie, Tita Marlene (my Mom), Tita Daisy, Tita Noemi, Tito Boy, Tita Eva and Tito Mel; upon his 18 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren.

FAMILY - what a legacy! Without our family the past century would not have made an imprint let alone an impact on this side of heaven, at least for me. I THANK GOD for our family. I pray that those who are left behind will treasure Tatay's legacy for the rest of our lives. May God welcome Tatay in his eternal home, and comfort us in our loss. But most importantly, let us rejoice despite our grieving hearts for Tatay is FREE... he is free to reach down from heaven and take us to a better place as long as we are willing to TRUST, to LOVE, to FORGIVE, and to EMBRACE our LOVED ONES despite our flaws.

May we honor his memory with LAUGHTER despite the tears, with JOY in the midst of grief, with DEEP CONCERN for each other despite the conflicts, with TRUE LOVE that keeps on giving until it hurts. For the GOD ALMIGHTY gave His Son, JESUS CHRIST, to connect with us and rescue us from a bitter end by dying on the cross. HE LOVES US, He loves Tatay and has now called him back home.

This day, we should CELEBRATE not mourn because Tatay is not only with GOD but is also with the wonderful, graceful and gentle soul we've known as Nanay - his wife, your mother, my grandmother and my children's great grandmother."

Fear not terror

To those who fear the Lord, three promises are made: protection, deliverance, and provision. The fear of the Lord manifests itself in words and deeds that glorify God (Ps 34:13-14). Fear of the Lord is not terror in the face of threat. It is a recognition of God’s holiness and majesty and humanity’s sinfulness and frailty. As one Bible scholar puts it, “Fear grows from the respect and honor of which God is worthy.”


http://www.todayintheword.com/GenMoody/default.asp?SectionID=ABECA3F4F745454090BB3C5F613C9CE7&date=10/11/2011

Psalm 42

NEVER LOSE HOPE! My hope is in the LORD, in YHWH I trust..

Psalm 42 opens with deep spiritual thirst. The psalmist craves the refreshment of God’s presence (vv. 1-2), but knows only his bitter tears instead (v. 3). He remembers the former days of festivity and protection in God’s presence (v. 4), yet faces a dark present reality (v. 5). In the midst of the torrent, he summons himself to hope in God. The future is different. “I will yet praise him,” the psalmist declares confidently (v. 5). Though he weeps day and night (v. 3), God also ministers to him day and night (v. 8).

Observe all the names of God in Psalm 42: my God, living God, the Mighty One, my Savior, the LORD, the God of my life, and God my Rock. The psalmist is anchored in who God is. Disheartened, he trusts in the Living One who gives life, in the Mighty One who protects and fights on his behalf, in his Savior who keeps His promises.

http://www.todayintheword.com/GenMoody/default.asp?SectionID=ABECA3F4F745454090BB3C5F613C9CE7&date=10/9/2011

The Road Not Taken

Robert Frost's poem...http://www.internal.org/Robert_Frost

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.